Beet topping machine



May 13, 1952 .1. E. AMEND BEET TOPPING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20, 1946 May 13, 1952 J. E. AMEND BEET TOPPING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed Ail 20, 1946 MAR/E E.AMEN0, ADM/NISTRATR/X tlrrm "cu y 13, 1952 J. E. AMEND 2,596,757

BEET TOPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20, 1946 a Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. JA cps E. A MEND, oscensso IWBQRIE E. AME/vb, HDMl/V/STRATRIX May 13, 1952 J. E. AMEND BEET TOPPING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 20, 1946 gwwnl'o o JAcoB f-AMEND', DECEASED MA R/E E-AMEND, AoM/msT/m TR/X May 13, 1952 J. E. AMEND BEET TOPPING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Shee t 7 Filed Aug. 20, 1946 mm y m w mm? r e m E W ,1 W W fl IDD NM,

May 13, 1952 -J. E. AMEND BEET TOPPING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Aug. 20, 1946 INVENTOR. JA cos .Efl/ /END, DECEHSED MA R15 5 AMEND, A DMINISTRRTR/X HTTORNEY Patented May 13, 1952 BEET 'POPPING -MACHINE J acob- E. Amend,- deceased, late of Brighton, 0010., by vMarie E. Amen'd, administratrix;Brighton,

Colo.

.Applicai'tion'AlIgust 20, 194B,."Sefial No. 691,803

llblaim's. 1

This invention relates generally to the 'classof harvesting machinery and pertains particularly to the harvesting of root crops, more particularly beets.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a machine for harvesting root crops such as beets and the like, in which there is provided a novel mechanism for effecting the separation of the tops from the roots and'for discharging the separated tops and roots inseparate groups.

Another object of the'inventionis-to'provide a root harvesting and topping machine of the character stated having a novel mechanism for arranging the tops of the roots in" proper position in advance of the plows whereby when'the root is lifted from the ground, the top thereof will be held in a desired'position so'that it may be fed downwardly to the cutter to be properly and cleanly separated from the root.

A still further-object of the invention 'is'to provide in a harvesting'ma'chine for root "cr'op's, a novel topping mechanism Whichfunctionsautomatically in accordance'with the size ofthe roots passing therethrough, toadjust the position of the cutting knife 's'o astoseverthe-top from the root at'the-prop'er'point.

Still another object 'oftheinverition is taprovide in a root harvestingmachineof'thei char acter stated, anovel mechanism associated with the top cutter whereby themeans hy-which the 7 root is moved relative to thetopcuttinglmife, is automatically set into motion bypre'ssure imposed upon a moving element by the beets entering the topper unit.

Another object of the inventi'en is to provide in a harvesting machine of'the character stated, a novel mechanism whereby 'certa'i'n =p'a'r'ts 1 or the machine such'as the plows,, conveyers,. an'd the root topping mechanismiand means for discharging the tops and roots separately,.'are"a11 supported for up and down" movement relative-to the ground whereby proper adjustment of the plows relative to the ground and to the: digging depth may be readily made.

Further objects-of the invention will become apparent as the descriptionof thesameiprotceeds, and the inventionwill be best understoodkfrom a consideration of the following-detailed description taken in -connecti-ojnwith the a'ccom panying drawings forming ajpartof, the speciiication with the understanding;however; thatsthe invention is-not confined to a strictconformity with the showing of the drawings sbutmiayhe changed or modified so long as sucha chlalngess er:

modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the'invention as expressed in'the appended claims.

In the drawings:

:Figure 1 is aview in side elevation of a'machinecons'tructed in accordance with thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a view in top plan of the same.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the-line 3-3 of Figure l with parts 'removed toshow more clearly details of construction.

Figure iis 'arear-end-elevation of themachine.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure l.

-Figure dis 'a vertical transverse section taken suhstantia'lly'on the line 66 of Figure "1.

-Figure Visa viewin-elevation-of the left hand sideof' the topping mechanism removed from the machine frame and from connection with driving or operating means.

Figure -8'is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 8-8 -01? Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a view in top plan of the topping knifeand carrying means therefor.

Figure l'o'is a view in elevation of the topping knife and carrying means.

Figure his a view inplanof the arm and plate unit which'controls the elevation of the-cutter.

Figure 12 is a view "in elevation of the unit shown in- Fi'gure' l1.

Figure- 13 is a viewin plan of the-finger -carrying unit upon which the topped tests are discharged from the-topping unit.

Figure '14 is a transverse section taken substantially-on the line l4l4 of Figure-l3.

Figure -I-fiisa view in rearelevation of'the *controlmechanism by means of which the rotary drum is put into operation.

l figu-re 16 is a view in sideelevation of such mechanism.

"Figure 1-7'is-a-vi'ew in rear elevation of the-tcpping'mechanism or topping unit together with the' means at the two sidesthereof for receiving the best tops and the topped beets.

FigurelS is a vertical section taken "substantially on the line l8| 8 of the Figure 17, the view including-the beet elevating units in side elevati'on.

:Figure'19 is a'view-in top plan ofthe coacting spur gears by means of whichtherotary cone is selectively coupled With'and-uncoupled from thepower shaft. v

rEigure; 2031s:alsectionltaken on theline 20*20 of Figureaw.

Figure 21 is a view in elevation of the right hand side of the topping unit as removed from the supporting frame and driving mechanism.

Figure 22 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 2222 of Figure 21 and and illustrating the manner in which a beet is discharged.

Figure 23 is a view in elevation of the outer side of the right hand guide wall showing the mounting thereon for the deflector plate.

Figure 24 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2'424 of Figure 23.

Figure 25 is a sectional view taken on the plane designated by the line 2525 of Figure 1'7.

Figure 26 is a sectional view taken on the plane designated by line 26-26 of Figure 17.

Figure 27 is a detail section on an enlarged scale of a portion of the platform and the lower part of the cone structure shown in Figure 18.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the main frame of the machine which is connected directly to the ground engaging wheels H and 12.

The numeral ll designates the rear and main wheels of the machine and these are mounted upon the main axle [3 which is supported in suitable bearings 54 which are secured to the frame If).

The wheels H turn freely on the axle i3 and when the machine is running forwardly they are automatically coupled for driving connection with the axle l3 by suitable overrunning clutches or ratchets I5. Since these overrunning clutches are of standard and well known construction and form no part of the present invention in themselves, it is believed that a detailed illustration and description of the same are not necessary. It will be understood that such clutches permit the backing of the machine without reversely turning any of the mechanism which is driven from the axle.

' At its forward end the frame it) has the side members it turned inwardly as indicated at ll and then extended forwardly into the spaced parallel portions I8 between which is secured a draft beam I9 by which the attachment of the machine to a tractor or a team of horses, is facilitated. It will be understood, of course, that the invention is not restricted to the use of this specific type of hitch as it will be readily obvious that other means may be employed for attaching the mechanism to a draft machine or for hitching draft animals thereto.

Secured across the top of the draft coupling 19 is a bar 23 and disposed beneath this bar is a second bar 2|. These bars are connected by the intermediate upwardly and outwardly diverging arms 22. The outer ends of the spaced bars 20 and 2| are suitably apertured to receive the vertical spindles 23 which are designed to turn on vertical axes and the lower end of each spindle is bent outwardly to form a stub axle 24 upon which a wheel [2 is mounted. Between each stub axle 24 and the lower bar 2! there is interposed a spring 25 upon the spindle, which forms a cushion or shock absorber for the front end of the frame.

Upon the top of the draft hitch Hi there is provided the upstanding bracket 26 to which is pivotally attached the forward end of the steering shaft 21, the rear end support for which is hereinafter described.

The upper end of each spindle 23 has a spindle arm 28 secured thereto and these arms are connected by the coupling bar 29. A link 33 connects one of the arms 28 with the steering finger 3i which is attached to the steering shaft.

Suitable bracing means 32 connects the lower bar 2| with the inturned portions I? of the frame as shown in Figures 2 and 5.

To the side of the main frame, here shown as the left side, there is secured upon the inner side of the side bar or rail iii of the frame, the short beam 33. The rear end of this ,beam is secured to the rear cross member 34 of the main frame Hi as shown in the top plan view forming Figure 2.

Within the space between the short beam 33 and the adjacent side It of the main frame there is located a relatively large sprocket gear 35. This gear turns freely on the axle l3 by which it is supported.

Rearwardly from the sprocket gear 35 there is supported in suitable depending bearings 35 carried by the main frame, a short counter-shaft 31. Upon the outer end of the counter-shaft 3'! is supported and secured the small sprocket gear 38 which is connected by the sprocket chain 39 with the large gear 35.

At its inner end the counter-shaft 3'! has secured thereon the spur gear 46.

The hanging bearings 36 also support a shaft 4! upon which is mounted an intermediate idler spur gear 42. Also supported on this stub shaft Al is a swinging bearing yoke 43 having rotatably supported therein one end of a swinging power distributing shaft 44. The opposite end of this shaft is supported in a corresponding swinging bearing 45 which is supported upon the opposite side rail it of the machine main frame It.

Within the swinging bearing yoke the shaft 44 supports a spur gear 46 which meshes with the idler spur gear 42 so that the shaft 44 may receive power from the axle i3 through the sprocket drive and gears described.

The numeral 41 generally designates a clutch unit which comprises the two interlocking portions 48 and 49 and by means of which driving connection may be established when desired, between the sprocket gear 35 and the axle l3. One of the two portions of the clutch is secured to the gear 35 while the other portion is splined to the axle I3 and is movable relative to the gear carried portion so as to establish or disestablish as desired, the connection between the axle and the sprocket gear. The shifting of the splined portion of the clutch, here designated 49, may be effected through the medium of the usual forked actuating lever 50 which is pivotally mounted upon the short beam 33.

Fixed to the beam 33 and the opposite side rail it of the machine frame, to position over the longitudinal center of the machine, is the fixed arch frame generally designated 5|. This arch frame supports at its center the bearing sleeve 52 through which the steering shaft 21 extends, the upper end of the shaft carrying the steering wheel 53.

Connected with the center of the arch frame 5| and extending rearwardly and downwardly to the rear portion 34 of the machines main frame is an arched bracket member 54 upon which is supported a seat 55 for the operator of the machine.

At the front end of the machine, each side beam [6 of the main frame supports a bearing plate 56 and extending transversely of the main frame is a crank shaft 51, the offset crank ends 58 of which are oscillatably supported in the bearing plates 56 as shown in the top plan view forming Figure 2.

assets? 5 Disposed behind the crankshaft =51 within the main frame 'I is "a shiftable or auxi liary' franie which is generally designated 59. Thisauxi y frame comprises the spaced parallel side portions 69. a s n At their front'ends, the'side portions 60 of' the auxiliary fra'me, carrybear'ings 62 through whieh the crank shaft 51 pa ses.- k v At their rear ends the sideportions '60- of the auxiliary frame carry the bearings 63 through which pass the shaft "44 which connects such side portions together. 1

Adjacent their rear ends the side poi i'liiari's 60 of the auxiliary fra'r'ne arearmeaor cu vedfuswardly as indicated atlitso that this'fra'niemay have up and down movement without coming into contact with the main axie "I 3.

Forwardly or the are ea parusnset r, the-"side members 60 of the auxiliary frame, af braoing arch 64' is secured to the auxiliary framesjide portions 69 so as to give necessary'rigidity tothese portions to facilitate the proper support of the hereinafter described mechanism which the -auxiliary frame carries. s A

Connected with each of the side-niemb'ers ofthe auxiliary frame 59 andextending downwardly and forwardly in convergent relation are two hanger bars 65 which may cdmprise'extensi-ons of the sides of arch 64f. At the lowerend of each of these hanger bars 65, there is secured an earthworking plow 66 of the type suitable for use in connection with a machine of this kind ,;such plows being of standard design or construction. These plows 66 are suitably spaced so that they pass along the sides of arow of lbeets or other similar root vegetable and liftthe vegetable-from the ground without damag'e, s s s I, W v

The numeral tl generally designatesthe elevw tor, mechanism by which the, vegetable is raised to the desired position-for dischargefintothe'topper unit. This elevator comprises the two spaced parallel endless conveyers 68 which are arranged at an upward and rearward inclination and 'in addition are disposed in rearwardly converging planes as shownin Fig ure fi. s v 4 Each conveyer structure comprises, the u per and lower sprocket shafts BQand'BQ' respectively and the endless element Tilwhich passes-around these shafts. The lowerjsh'afts 6 are rigidly supported in suitable bearings l0 whicharecar ried by the convergent-hangers 65; Extending upwardly from each of-these bearings is a rigid beam H upon the upperendof which the'uppe'r shaft 69 is rotatably mounted. These eams-11 lie between the two runs of the "conveyers of which they form apart. I

The lower shaft 69" of each 'conveyercarries a gear 12 and in mesh with thisgeanis ag'ear 13 which is operativelyattached togthe lower end of a power transmitting'shaft14 which, at its-other end, is supported in a bearing 1-5 carried atthe rear end of the'lowe'r onej of the adjacenthanger bars 65, Figure 3, The rear end of each power transmitting shaft T4 is directed toward thecenter of the shaft 45 and carries amitergear -16 which is in mesh with acorresponding gear 11 carried upon the shaft; see Eigures3,-17 and-'18.

The numeral 18 generally designates the topper unit, This unit is'supportedbythe auxiliary frame 59 and is mounted 311122611 the power distributing shaft M- and is connectedto the arches 64 of the sidemember'sftll'of the auxiliaryframe by the transverse bar 19- which extends across and is secured between these {side members, V

The unit 18 comprisesa "bed-plate lfflpFifgure 18, and, lying above "this-bed plate, a necr piate "B -i. -Conne'c'tin'g these two plates is hammer endof anupwardl'y extendingfarm lii the upper end of which is turned to extend 'rearwa'rslyas indicated at 8"3. n Formed integral with the bed-plate til is a pair of foot bearings '84 which rest upon the power distributing shaft 4'4. Between "these hearings 'thesha ft a4 'hassecurea thereto 'initer gear'85. Directly above the shaft '44 the plates and "8! su pert the verticalstub'shaf-t 86 which car'- ries upon its lower end, below bed-plate 80, the miter gear "81 which meshes with the gear- "85, while between the platestlfl andB-I thisstub shaft has keyedthereto the spur gear UB. This gear together with the shaft 86 and the miter-gear!" are secured against-axial nioverner'it.

Rear'wardlyof the stub shaft86 the bed-plate has a 'bearing"op'enirig "89 l)]. 1!'0i.lgh which extends a'sleeve "90.; Between the plates to and BI the upper end of the sleeve 90 has secured thereto the spur gearsl. This spur gear 91 has a hub 92 Upon its undersi e "which "has a'fiattned face 93. a

The top surface-or the bed-plate 80 under the hiib "92 of the spurgear 91 is lowred'asindicated at 94, Figure 27. Thispermits the "gearf9l to drop below and out of; mesh withgear 88 and provides thestop shoulder 95' with"which the flattened face "93 engages when the gear 91 is lowered, to hold the gear'againsttiirning.

Below the 'bed plate 80 the sleeve 90- has a coil spring '96 therearound which bears at one end against the-bed-plate and-at its other end bears against a collar '9! carried upon the lower end of the sleeve. Thus the g'earf9 l' is'con's'taintly urged to move "downwardly by the spring and when the flattened face 93 'of'thegearhub comes into parallel relation withthe -s'l1oul'den95 this lowering of the gearis permitted to a sufficient extent to gis'engagethe gear 9 I *f'rcir'n gear 88.

Extending through the sleeve and passing upwardly through the floor-8| and to'and through the mar nes-upper en'd,"83 of the 'a' -82-, is a. spindle 98. The'sleeve 90 and the spur gearill are coupled to this spindle to turn therewith and to have sliding movement longitudinally thereon. t r I i I s The numeral "99 designates the topper cone. This cone is hollow andis open at the tdp and at the bottom, "The cone99 i's forrried ii'ra single piece, preferably from a singlesheet of m'etal to be described.

' The numeral fHl'fl designates the wall "of the cone and as is'shown the material offth'e {cone is shaped to provide a central-sleeve 10,]! which encloses and "issecuredt'o the spi ndle 93.

Extending radially tutwarmyrr'om the sleeve to: is the web I02 which f mer'ges with-the wan of the cone atone "side of the divisionjorslit which is designated 33in Figure 22. Theopposite edge of V the division which constitutes the free edge of thematerialfof whichthe 'cone wall is formed is designatedfl04. Due. to there'silient material of which the hollow cone isformedit will be readily seen that thlefwall of""the"con'e adjacent to the free "edge HM may be readily flexed inwardly, the edge 1.04 moving radially along the web I02. 7 s

The sleeve lfllofthecone-rests upon asuitable bearing 'collar I05 secured "to the spindle and interposed between the sleeve and the fio er sheet I06, which rests upon 'the fiOBr pIate-"B'I 7 as shown. Since the sleeve is fixed to the spindle 98 and the spindle engages the bearing collar I05 it will be readily seen that the spindle is held against slipping downwardly and thus the.

two ends of the spindle are properly supported for rotation.

The numeral I01 generally designates a housing for the cone 99. This housing is spaced from the cone and is of the same form or configuration but it is divided to have the two openings I08 and I09. The opening I08 constitutes the inlet or entrance to the housing for the beets, as illustrated in Figure 8, while the opening I09 constitutes the exit from which the topped beets are discharged as illustrated in Figure 22.

As a result of dividing the cone housing to form the entrance and exit openings the housing is produced in two parts or sections, one of which is designated H and the other III. The section H0 is secured to the arm 82 while the section III forms a part of a hereinafter described vertical guide flange which is attached to an arm H2 which is rigidly secured to the adjacent auxiliary frame side member 60 as shown in'the side elevation of the machine forming Figure 1.

Forming rearward extensions of the cone housing sections I I0 and I I I, from the sides of the entrance opening I08, are the relatively wide rearwardly diverging guide flanges H3 and H4 respectively. These flanges are continued upwardly and forwardly above the cone and cone housing to form the wings I15 between which the upper end of the elevator 68 discharges.

In order to facilitate the proper movement of the beets over the top of the cone and cone housing and downwardly between the wings H5 and into the space between the guide flanges H3 and N4, the coacting inner'runs of the elevator conveyers have suitably supported therebetween the spaced upper and lower guide walls IIB and H1. These walls are suitably curved toward the rear of the machine at their upper ends where they are positioned between the wings II5 as shown in Figure I8.

The lower end of the guide flange H3 is continued laterally, forwardly and downwardly to form a deflector H8, see Figures 7 and 17. This deflector overlies and is spaced from the floor I06 and a portion of the floor forwardly of the part thereof which is beneath the deflector, is cut out to form the top discharge opening II9, as shown in Figure 8.

The flange II4 carries upon its outer side a guide I20, Figure 21, in which is slidably mounted a rod I2I which extends downwardly and laterally across the lower edge of the flange II4 where it is secured to a downwardly inclined, forwardly and laterally extending shiftable deflector I22. A portion I23 of this deflector, see Figures 22 and 23, extends upwardly upon the inner side of the guide flange II4 against which it has sliding contact, and this carries a threaded pin I24 which passes laterally through a guide slot I25 and a slide plate I26, disposed against the outer side of the flange II4, where it receives a retaining nut I21.

A spring I28 connected between the upper end of the plate I26 and the guide flange I M normally urges movement of shiftable deflector I22 upwardly. This shiftable deflector is of such width as to substantially close the lower. end of the space between the flanges'll3 and [I4 sothat any article moving downwardly between these flanges will come'to'rest upon the shiftable defiector' I22- and by imposing sufficient weight thereon will cause the deflector to shift downwardly.

Connected with the underside of the shiftable deflector I22 is the downwardly and forwardly curving arm I29. The rear edge of the bed-plate is formed to provide a bearing sleeve I30 which is mounted for oscillation on a cam shaft I3I. Each end of the cam shaft I3I carries a curved cam flnger I32 which extends beneath and curves downwardly from and is arranged to have contact with the bottom face of the hub 92 of the vertically shiftable spur gear 9|.

Also at one end of the cam shaft I3I is secured the upwardly extending crank arm I33 with which is pivotally connected the downwardly extending deflector plate carried arm I29.

It will be seen from the foregoing that when the shiftable deflector plate I22 is moved downwardly, the cam shaft I3I will be oscillated in a direction to raise the cam fingers I32 against the hub of the gear 9|, thereby shifting this gear upwardly to compress and tension the spring 96 which normally urges the gear downwardly through the connection between the sleeve and the gear 9|. This upward shifting of the gear 9I will move it into mesh with the adjacent spur gear 88 which is driven from the power distributing shaft and which is constantly rotating while the machine is in motion. Thus downward movement of the deflector plate will automatically set the split cone into revolving motion within its housing.

Supported by the bracket H2 is a shaft I34. This shaft passes through the flanges I I3 and I I4, at the upper ends thereof and it supports upon the end adjacent to the flange II4, the sprocket gear I35. This gear is connected by the sprocket chain or other suitable driving connection I36, with a corresponding gear I31, supported on and secured to the power distributing shaft 44.

Between the flanges H3 and H4 is supported a feeder I38 by means of which the beets or other vegetables are moved downwardly toward the shiftable plate I22. This feeder comprises the two spaced parallel side boards I40 which are traversed at their upper ends by the shaft I34 and hang downwardly therefrom. Between the side boards the shaft carries the cylindrical wheel I4I. At their lower ends the side boards I40 are connected by a cross shaft I42 on which is also carried a cylindrical wheel I43. Passing about these cylindrical wheels or rollers MI and I43, is the endless belt I44. The power transmitted to the feeder I38 moves the endless belt I44 so that the inner run thereof moves downwardly in spaced relation with the wall of the split cone.

The lower end of the feeder I38 is swingable with respect to the cone and there is connected to one of the side boards I40, an end of a spring I45, the other end of which is attached to the adjacent fixed part of the housing such, for example, as the part or section IIO.

At the left-hand side of the cone housing, forwardly of the end of the fixed deflector I I8, there is secured to the adjacent fixed portion IIO of the housing, a vertical guide means here shown as being in the form of two tubular guides I46.

Slidably mounted in the tubular guides are the two posts I41 which are coupled together at their upper ends as shown in Figure 10.

The lower ends of the posts I41 are secured to a horizontally disposed knife or cutting blade I 48. This blade lies over theopening H9 in the floor the deflector I22 to be shifted downwardly, thus pushing down upon the arm I29 to effect the turning of the crank arm I33 so as to produce oscillation of the cam fingers against the bottom of the hub 92 of the shiftable spur gear 9I.

The cam fingers move the spur gear 9| upwardly into mesh with the constantly moving gear 88 and this will start the cone revolving in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrows in Figures 8 and 22.

, As soon as the flanged edge I94 of the cone wall comes around into engagement with the beet lying between the feeder belt and the wall of the cone, the portion of the cone wall adjacent to the slot I93 will be flexed or forced inwardly as shown in Figure 8, and the beet, with its head directly downwardly, will be rolled in between the wall of the cone and the wall portion III! of the cone housing. When this occurs the inwardly flexed portion of the cone wall will press against the end of the arcuate plate I52 and effect the oscillation of the arm II. This action will produce oscillation of the bell-crank I55 and cause the knife I 48 to be raised against the tension of the spring I59. The extent of upward movement of the knife I28 will be governed by the extent of oscillation of the arm I5l which in turn is governed by the extent of inward movement of the flexible portion of the wall of the cone. Thus it will be seen that the amount of movement of the knife is controlled directly by the size of the beet which is carried between the flexible cone wall and the fixed wall portion III] of the housing.

As the beet is carried around, the head which extends down below the base of the cone, will be brought against the cutting edge of the knife and will be cut off. This cutting operation occurs when the head has reached the opening H9 in the floor plate and thus the severed top will drop through either onto the ground or onto a receptacle supported therebeneath.

The body of the beet minus the head or top will be carried around by the revolving cone until it reaches the discharge or exit opening I09 through which it will pass as shown in Figure 22, onto the screen I63 and from there into the receiving receptacle or box I55.

It will be seenthat when the beets cease to enter the throat I39, pressure upon the shiftable deflector I22 will be relieved and the spring I28 will then move the deflector back to its raised position. This will disengage the cam fingers from the hub of the gear 9I and allow the spring 96 to pull the gear down out of mesh with the constantly rotating gear 88. Thus the rotation of the cone will be stopped until another beet passes down into the throat and is forced by the endless belt I44 into contact With the shiftable deflector What is claimed is:

l. A machine for topping such vegetables as beets and the like, comprising a conveyor for raising the vegetable to an elevated position, coacting spaced members forming a receiver into which the vegetable is discharged top down from the conveyor, a cutter adjacent to the lower part of the receiver, a rotary element for moving the vegetable from the receiver toward the cutter, and linkage mechanism operated by the rotary element for elevating the cutter relative to the position of the downwardly directed top of the vegetable for effecting severance of the vegetable top from the vegetable body at a desired location.

2. A machine for topping root crops such as beets and the like, comprising a conveyor for elevating the beet to a desired position, a downwardly constricted receiver into which the root is discharged top down from the conveyor, a topping knife supported for vertical movement at the lower part of said receiver, a rotary element for moving the roots and tops toward said knife from the receiver, and linkage mechanism operated by the rotary element connected with the knife and operating automatically in accordance with the size of the roots to elevate the knife relative to the top as the root and top are moved toward the knife.

3. A machine of the character stated in claim 2, with mechanism, including a deflector engaged and actuated by the root in its movement down ward into the receiver, for setting into operation the said means by which the root and top are moved toward the knife.

4. Mechanism for topping beets and like root vegetables comprising a circular housing, a member disposed within the housing for rotation on an axis concentric with the housing, the member having aside wall in spaced relation with the housing wall, the housing having a side wall opening forming an inlet and a side wall opening forming an outlet, the housing being open at its bottom, means for positioning a beet top-down within the housing inlet opening, the rotary member having a portion of its wall yieldable whereby the beet may be rolled between the houslng wall and the wall of the rotary member, a knife disposed below the open bottom of the housing and having a cutting edge toward which the top of the beet is moved by the rotating member, a lever and linkage operated by the inwardly flexed wall of the rotary member for shifting said knife to a desired elevation with respect to the beet top, the body of the beet being discharged through the housing outlet opening after severance of the top therefrom by the knife.

5. A topping mechanism of the character stated in claim 4, including a continuously operating power delivery gear, a mechanism operatively coupled with said rotary member and adapted to be shifted into and out of operative connection with the power delivery gear, and a movable deflector connected with said mechanism to be actuated by a beet introduced into the receiver for effecting the operative connection of the mechanism with the driving gear.

6. Mechanism for harvesting and topping root crops such as beets and the like comprising a vertical rotatably supported spindle, a rotatable cone supported on the spindle, the cone being hollow and open at its bottom and having an inwardly yieldable wall portion, a housing enclosing the cone and having a side inlet and an outlet, a pair of spaced guide plates disposed at opposite sides of the housing inlet, a closure structure in the space between the plates in spaced relation with the housing inlet, said closure structure, the plates and the cone forming a beet receiving throat, guides for directing movement of a beet top down into said throat, the said yieldable wall of the cone yielding under the pressure of a beet discharged downwardly into the throat whereby the beet may enter between the cone and the wall of the housin power mechanism for rotating the cone, a horizontally disposed knife at the lower end of said cone and positioned to have the beet top moved against the edge thereof as the beet is carried around between the wall of the cone and the housing, and a linkage mechanism actuated by the inward movement of the yieldable wall 13 of the cone for effecting the vertical adjustment of said knife.

7. A topping mechanism of the character stated in claim 6, with a vertically movable deflector disposed across the lower part of said throat and adapted to have the beet pressed thereagainst, said vertically movable deflector functioning upon downward movement to establish a driving connection between the cone spindle and the power mechanism.

8. In a topping mechanism for root crops such as beets and the like, a power shaft, a gear operatively connected with and driven by the power shaft, a rotatably supported spindle adjacent to said gear, an oscillatable camming element, a shiftable gear operatively connected with the spindle and movable by the camming element into driving connection with the first gear, a hollow cone body having an open bottom, a central sleeve thorugh which the spindle extends and a web connecting the sleeve with the wall of the body, the sleeve being secured to the spindle and the wall of the body being split longitudinally adjacent to the web to provide an inwardly yielding portion, a housing enclosing the conical body and having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, a receiver at the inlet opening of the housing for receiving a beet root in top-down position whereby the beet root body is positioned against the wall of the conical body, a traveling belt forming a side of said receiver for effecting the forcible downward movement of the beet root against the conical body whereby to press in said yieldable wall portion, a movable deflector engaged by the downwardly moving root for actuating the camming element for establishing the said driving connection between the gears to set up rotation of the conical body whereby to move the root body around within the housing toward the outlet opening, and a cutting mechanism for severing the beet top from the root body as the body is moved by the cone within said housing.

9. Mechanism of the character stated in claim 8, wherein said cutting mechanism includes a vertically adjustable knife blade located below the open bottom of the cone body, a pivotally supported arm operatively coupled with the knife blade to effect the raising of the blade upon oscillation of the arm, and a member carried by the arm within the cone body for engagement by the yieldable portion of the cone body to efiect oscillation of the arm.

10. A topping mechanism for root crops such as beets and the like, comprising a pair of upright, spaced and inclined guide plates between the 1 upper ends of which a beet root to be topped is deposited, a conical housing having an inlet opening in the wall thereof which is bordered on opposite sides by the lower portions of the guide plates, the housing having an outlet opening, a power shaft extending transversely below the housing, a gear operatively coupled with and driven by the power shaft, a rotatably supported spindle adjacent to the gear and extending through the center of the housing, a hollow cone body supported upon the spindle and having its lower end open, the cone body further having a radial web extending from the spindle to the wall of the body, the wall of the body being longitudinally split adjacent to the web to provide an inwardly yielding portion, a gear keyed to the spindle for sliding movement thereon for operative connection with the first gear, a shift lever for moving the keyed gear into operative connection with the first gear, a vertically movable beet receiving plate disposed across the space between the lower ends of the guide plates and operatively coupled with said shift lever, said shiftable plate when moved downwardly actuating theshift lever to establish connection between said gears, a spring element normally urging the gears to disconnected relation, a traveling element disposed between the guide plates and in spaced relation with the conical body for forcibly moving a beet root downwardly toward the shiftable plate against the wall of the conical body, a topping knife disposed below the open bottom of the conical body and the housing and supported for up and down movement relative to the bottom of the conical body, and an arm operatively coupled with the knife and movably supported within the lower part of the conical body for actuation by the yieldable portion of the conical body to effect vertical adjusting movement of the knife.

11. A mechanism of the character stated in claim 10, wherein said knife support includes a guide, a post slidable in the guide and rigidly connected with the knife, the said operative coupling between the arm and the knife comprising a link between an end of the arm and the knife carrying post, a portion of the arm lying within the area defined by the lower part of the cone body, and a plate carried by the arm Within the cone body in position to be engaged by the yieldable portion of the cone body wall upon inward movement of said portion to effect oscillation of the arm.

MARIE E. AMEND, Administratrim of the Estate of Jacob E. Amend,

Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

